After missing my deadline for Tribeza magazine, I was forced to pursue alternatives for reaching a lost but vital demographic in my campaign. In doing so, I consulted with a specialist from a local marketing firm, eyeseeyounow ( http://eyeseeyounow.com/ ), to help me evaluate my strategy as a whole, with and without ad placement in Tribeza, and to guide me through the marketing process moving forward.

The consultation was illuminating on many levels. And, as a result, I have ultimately decided to postpone my Fall Exhibition to Spring, 2016. This is an important project for me. So I didn’t want to feel like I was trying to force round blocks into small square holes. But, more important, I didn’t want to compromise the integrity of the project out of pure stubbornness. I know what needs to be done. I just need more time in which to do it.

Because the work being showcased is mostly completed, my primary focus on this project is Marketing. So, the loss of ad space in Tribeza was realistically a huge blow that I tried to downplay. On the contrary, the loss may also be the project’s saving grace, because I don’t think I would have recognized all the gaps in my campaign had I not consulted with Chris, at eyeseeyounow. During our meeting, Chris reaffirmed the importance of updating my website, http://whoismichaeltorres.com/, which I’ve neglected since 2008, but also, the importance of getting someone with experience in Public Relations involved (something I hadn’t seriously considered). I covered most of the basics in trying to coordinate advertising, social media, email, and direct mailers. But, all in all, this project is truly too big for me to tackle alone, a dose of reality I had to face. Yet doing it yourself doesn’t necessarily mean one can’t have help. It simply means that I am the one who must take the initiative in all areas, which is what I’m doing.

I have no doubt in the quality of my work. But the looming question that has plagued me is, “How do I get people into the studio to see it?” Whether I like it or not, the answer is Marketing. Therefore, marketing is my mission… because my Target Audience (the potential collector) is the most important piece of my DIY puzzle, and they are vast, broadly dispersed, and for the most part unaware of my existence.

So after careful consideration, weighing the pros and cons of going ahead as planned vs. moving the event to a later date, I truly had no choice but to postpone the show. Although delaying the event was the last thing I wanted to do, it was the right move… and you will continue to see the project blossom here, as I assemble a team and expand what is possible.

The Next Step:

I’m exploring another resource that will help me develop a more effective strategy and marketing campaign: SCORE – https://www.score.org/ – a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring partners for any entrepreneur attempting to develop, promote, and/or grow a business. I contacted them today, and will keep you up to date with the developments.